Endangered male frogs with an unconventional approach to raising their young have "given birth" to 33 baby frogs in the UK, as part of an urgent mission to save the species from a devastating fungal disease, the BBC reports.
Southern Darwin's frog tadpoles develop inside their fathers' vocal sacs and are "born" through their fathers' mouths as tiny frogs.
The caring fathers of the cubs made an incredible 11,000-kilometer journey by boat, plane and car to London Zoo from their remote island off the southern coast of Chile.
These frogs were first discovered by Charles Darwin in 1834. Conservationists point out that keeping a population of these frogs in captivity buys time for the species while efforts are made to make their forest home safe again.
Amphibian chytridiomycosis is a fungal disease that has affected at least 500 species of amphibians, making it one of the most devastating infectious diseases known to science.
In 2023, research confirmed the presence of a deadly chytrid fungus in southern Darwin's frogs in the forests of Tantauko Park in southern Chile. These frogs are particularly vulnerable, and monitored populations have declined by 90 percent within a year.
In October last year, conservationists at London Zoo located a population without the fungus. The task was challenging – not only are the frogs very small, but they are also extremely well camouflaged, blending in with the moss in their habitat.
They traveled in specially designed, climate-controlled boxes on a long and complex route: six hours by boat, a 15-hour drive to Chile's capital, Santiago, and a final flight to Heathrow.
Each fully developed male, weighing less than 2 g and under 3 cm long, continued to carry small tadpoles until they metamorphosed and became small frogs.
Ben Tepley, curator of amphibians at London Zoo, said: "This is a watershed moment in our work to protect Darwin's frogs from the devastating impact of the chytrid fungus.
"The successful raising of these froglets by their parents is a powerful symbol of hope for this species and highlights what can be achieved when conservationists work together."
Andres Valenzuela Sanchez, a researcher at ZSL's Institute of Zoology, added: "These frogs are not only crucial to the future of their species, they are helping us better understand how to combat the chytrid fungus and protect other amphibians around the world."
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